Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-12-30
THE DEFIANCE OUTRIGHT.
Corbin States His Position-The Men In
Covention-The Situation,

Corbin States His Position-The Men In
Covention-The Situation.
READING. Pa. Dec. SO-An order ad-
dressed to General Manager Mcleod by Aus.
tin Corbin, president of the Reading system,
and dated at New York, shows that Mr.. Cor.
bin is determined to fight any strike which
may be inaugurated on his lines to the bit
ter end, and that he is prepared to throw
down the gauntlet to the Knights of Labor
on the proposition that said organization
shall not run the railway. President Cor
bin says that, while the company las no oh.
lection to its employees belonging to any or
ganization they choose. they must decide
whether they will hold their duty to the rail-
way or their duty to the union
as paramount If the latter, they
must 60, and the company will
fill their places with other men, and in no
case will these other men be displaced at the
end Of strike to make room for the strikers
The unions are given notice that the COM
pany will run its property and not be die
tated to as to whom they shall employ or
discharge The company will pay as high
wages under as reasonable terms as any other
company of similar character, and expect its
employees to obey all reasonable orders in the
transaction of its business. Regarding the
question of arbitration Mr.. Corbin says there
is nothing to arbitrate, and the company has
never contemplated such thing. 1t is only
a question whether the company or the
Knights Of Labor shall operate the property,
and 1t must be understood for all time that
when this question comes up the company
will attend to its own business and will
stand by the men who stand BY it
An incident showing still further the posi-
tion of the company occurred at the COM
pany's offices in Philadelphia Thursday
John E. Lee, chairman of the strikers exec
utive committee, was at the Offices, accom-.
panied by b. L Bennett, the two being a
committee from the strikers. Mr.. Lee said
to the reporters that he and Bennett were
there at the request of the company, but he
expected the officials to deny this The men
were made to wait over an hour before Su-
perintendent Sweigard would see them, and
then he refused to have anything to do with
Bennett declaring distinctly in the hearing
Of all present in the waiting room that he
would recognizs no committee. Lee and
Bennett then refused TO talk to him and left
the building.
Ofoi 7p ucitSdtos dETlNcu uuTiuS
day, representing every assembly in Reading
territory, to attend the convention Of Read
ing employees The Schuylkill delegation, rep
resenting railroaders and miners, numbered
over $50, and the Philadelphia delegation
numbered fully fifty persons. 1t was found
necessary to obtain possession Of the largest
room in Excelsior hall in order to accommo-
date the delegates
Bernard Sharkey, Of Philadelphia, pre-
sided, and Charles Bensman, of Port Car
bon, was secretary. The delegates had very
little to say 1t was evident, however, that
the session, which is a secret one, was likely
to continue until very late at night.
When the convention got down co business,
John L Lee addressed the body, explaining
why the strike was called and ordered of
Philadelphia & Reading employees approved
| of hts action and he believed the convention
would approve Of his ordering the men out
again He charged Superintendent Swell.
gard with treachery, and said he ha6 ds-
csived the committee shamefully. He said
there would be a general strike in the coal
| region, not only in the Schuylkill, but in the
| Wyoming district also.
| Up to midnight the convention was still in
session, with the probability that a general
strike would be ordered all over the Reading
system, including miners
Notwithstanding the efforts that have been
made to induce the employees Of the company
in this city to go on strike, all remained at
their osts Thursday. and traffic was proceed-
ing as usual Although various orders have
| been issued since Wednesday, and several
@walking delegates, whoarrived here Wednes